THE EAST COAST SHEARERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 946, 13 October 1910, Page 6

THE EAST COAST SHEARERS.

: '.(By Tel€grapli.-;Press ; Associatiorio,.;; ~, ■:■; .; ; Vv; ; : : ;: " :w'',Gisborne, ; ,October:-^.;:' ; ' A'.conference' was held ; ;sis : FoTcrfy Bay/and'six the. local;:SHeaTers >, '.lJnipn|.I;the';.purpose1;the';.purpose of ; the conference '.teing ''to elfecf a'/.'setUementvini' connectioh: : :with ■tlio , . cnrrent'.'dispute' as ; .tov'.the.'rateviqf shearers' wages.r'. -Alter : discussingf-.l.the matter, the parties ,failed;..t6 : iagre6; upon a .settlement,-' and thev.conference'.'; terminated., m.;■■;■;'' ; ; ; : ■ ■■ v :: ;: ;.v i >-':;^ ; , v ,; : / r

.-. Mr:B. HiJae, 'organiser for.ithe-Shear-, ers' /Union, Estates;: thafcMr.v H^B.^Wit liams.i;chairman 'of ::the: conference,- viritiniated. that; he was, ■willing.'to-give them the! award rates existing in';the: Welling-, ton 'district,/but .could-.not. get;away.:from; instructions'received .frqni the : head:office of the Employers' Federation. /Thefshear-. crs , . spokesman, had replied, : ;statingv that. tho : 'mcn Mnnild-, accept the,: 'Wellington , , award that; had just expired, liutj would, expect a higher,rate of .pay,: as the'j: held; that;, the conditions of. labour- .for,-;.this, district were.■ different, from .those';exist-, ing.iaany. other part of the ; Dominions The .shearers, of this district had,to."cart and pack, their rations (in some instances ten or. fourteen'.miles), .at; theiri.own..expense. '■ .The :; employers.;had ■ refusid.vto ■ agree ''.to this 'proposal,•';. and- - - - : to. "discuss the: shed: .hands; question.ai'all,. following, -advice.'.from? the '.head' .office. :■ The chief grievance that;'the. shearers .had.was that , tho, , employers -insisted:'.;iinon: them .finding -their: own cook.vcophng. utensils, , , arid:iirewodd. ; They'.'alsb. ,exr. Lpected them i. to .Mil.-: their own meat.: The latter..pomt>-.was : not brought:jip ; ,at;:the. conference. -■ . ~ ""I ■■'■ : :-. '■■^■''.■ : ? : 'j^i-',.>: i Interviewed, Mr.' H.B.'Williams:stated, 'that'the: employersi ,at--the conference,: had, 'agreed to"- supply c' -cooking -utensils and firewood-for tne'shearers. , , -He;stated that-he did not;know of ,'a-single'-statibn where , shearers had -to'pick br.cartiheir stores.! The .catering , was.:, always, done by. the station,' and it was.a rule-on .all: stations .to; kill the .meat requiijedHfor, the- shearers. ;:.;;■: ; i : \'w ■'';:< r: ■■ : - ■: Mr. E. Griffon, of Napier, was -present at tho conference', to:; watch .''proceedings onbehalf ;of : tho' Federated Association , of UmployerSv '.. - :"■ ■ ' ..; ■ ■'~;"),::> ; ::- ; -'-\

-. A 'very heavy catalogue-of over ;dOO. lots t \vill - be sold xinreservcclly 'by Messrs'-A. L.. Wilson and Co.. to-morrow, commencing at 1 o'clock, at ,their rooms, 2G Brandon Street . Tho list consist's\of,. : elegant 'and superior furniture, being the contents , of '.tho nine-roomed .residence of : MrWEeicester, who .is leaving for' Sydney, and will be submitted without reserve., Those wishing, to'view, the■ above may do : so i-from.2 p.m. to-da,T. J" '■' ''-";p^y'; '■:.-■■.